Just Because....New Beginnings

It's exciting to start a fresh new year because it's filled with possibility; and the hopes of having a new beginning.  We had our share of sorrows in 2014.  I lost my Dad in June, and my sister Audra in October.  I can't say that I've "gotten over it", ad quite honestly, I don't think you ever really just "get over it" when it comes to a loss that deep.  It impacts SO much of our daily lives, and things are not the same without them.  But a new year is a time for new beginnings; and I'm very excited to see what God has in store for our family in the coming year.  For one thing, we will be having a wedding in July when our middle daughter, Alicia (who we call Lily), marries the love of her life, Nathan.  They have been called to the mission field to tell people about the love of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  But for the next five years, they will be living in California since Nathan was offered a five-year commitment from the Bible College they attend.  He will be teaching for them.  Yes, he is THAT smart, and that good of a guy.  So, how blessed are we?  I simply CANNOT and WILL NOT complain.  God is SO good.  We know that Daddy and Audra are in Heaven.  We don't need to worry about them.  It's just the fact that we miss them OH, SO much!  We can only look forward to all that God has planned for each of us in the new year.

OK.....so after all that rambling, my goal for this post was really to share a card that I whipped up this morning.  I got some sweet new Pebbles Floral Lane Dimensional Stickers for Christmas, and wanted to create a couple of cards with them.  This one uses some older patterned papers I had on hand, the Pebbles sticker that I used to attach a (Just Because) Pebbles rub-on, some gems, machine stitching, painted and glittered bells, baker's twine, leaves, and Vintage Street Market's vintage scotch tape.  Here is a close-up of the painted and glitter-frosted bells.  You can clearly see that they're NOT perfect!

I'm going to enter my card in a few challenges where it fits the theme, as follows:

Classy Cards 'N Such Blog - Challenge #65 - Time For A New Year - As explained above, the new year is about new beginnings.  This card is going to a friend who also had a difficult year in 2014, and I'm trying to encourage her that 2015 is filled with new possibilities.  I used a couple of great products carried at CCNS including their ultra-fine Crystal Ice Glitter, Colored Rhinestones and sweet Baker's Twine.  I also included "bling" by using gems and glitter.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Simon Says "Anything Goes" - This is my 5th and final entry this week.
 

Thanks SO much for stopping by today.

 

God bless you,

Karen